Great, some resolution. In an article posted at around 4.45pm yesterday, Geoff Baker’s blog is the only source I can find (that I would’ve read in the first place, anyway) that bothered to mention that the game would be delayed on the MLBN. Not even the channel itself bothered to let viewers know, unless it was before the game started or at some point that I walked out of the room because the game wasn’t on to begin with; just the runner with the ‘blackout’ statement on it, which remained broadcast for almost the entire duration of the game. I would have had no cause to read Baker’s blog at or around that time, however, since I usually do my reading either late at night or right after school. Anyway, I now have no idea if I should be annoyed with myself or my television; either way, I’ll live.

Fortunately for me, Shannon Drayer – far superior to the Brewers’ broadcast and with a lot more access – chose to go to the Maryvale game rather than stay in Glendale with the White Sox. Our big club guys playing some other big club’s guys is a baseball game, sure, but I’m more curious lately about the new guys and Jose Lopez testing out at third. Drayer’s impressions of Lopez’s attitude about his errors and lack of ability to move to his right give me a bit of hope for his future at his new post. He says he feels comfortable there now, and that his errors were just what amounts to mistakes that he can work on and fix. I hope so; I’m still nervous about it translating to the big stage, but I’d love for him to find a home in a place the team can use him more, if that’s what this is all about (rather than a last-ditch effort to see what his range is before they dump or trade him). I have nothing against Lopez. It’s not like a Yuni Betancourt situation, where he’s flat-out refusing to work or do what the management tells him to. Lopez has always been a likable player, to me at least – and he’s always been a Mariner.

If you haven’t been reading it, ProBallNW has been running a player-by-player breakdown of the 40-man roster. Soooo…read it. Jon’s most recent post on Ryan Rowland-Smith makes me all sorts of happy, and it includes video of Hyphen taking some tosses with Josh Bard in the Peoria pen. As a side note, hearing the slap of baseballs on glove leather is really not helping decrease my enthusiasm for the proper start of the season.

In somewhat Mariners-related news (only because he’s an Ms bat killer) Joe Nathan of the Minnesota Twins may have to have Tommy John. This makes me very sad for Twins fans (seriously, I’m not being glib), but makes me feel that the Mariners are just a little bit safer in the long run if it turns out that Nathan is out for the season. I know that sounds horrible, and I don’t wish injury on anyone, but Nathan is terrifying, and the less we have to see of him the better.

The cable technician showed up today and fixed the splitter on our house, since the MLBN HD channel wasn’t working. The channel came on just in time for me to see Stephen Strasburg toss a few to some Detroit Tigers hitters. Now, however, Miguel Batista is on the hill and just gave up a hit and allowed a steal. Well, OK, maybe he didn’t allow it technically, but I’m blaming him anyway. Have fun with that, DC fans. I have to say, MLBN looks much better in HD…I almost hate to say it, but this might be a love/hate relationship for a while. I’ll try and keep my complaints here to a minimum. It’s a new relationship, I should probably give it time…

Jason Vargas starts today against the Cleveland Indians. I guess I’ll be (sadly) watching GameDay for that one, too, unless 710AM decides they want to run it.